REPORT: Belfast Giants 8 Glasgow Clan 0
Report by Sam Scouller; photos by William Cherry/Press Eye
Aspray Glasgow West sponsored Glasgow Clan suffered a crushing 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Belfast Giants at the SSE Arena.
The Clan had an early chance when Gabriel Chabot dragged the puck across the crease and tried to poke it through Whistle’s pads but the Giants’ netminder kept it out.
Giants took an early lead when Scott Conway was found free at the backdoor by David Goodwin and he tapped the puck in past visiting goalie John Muse.
Craig Peacock also had an early opportunity at goal as Dyson Stevenson picked up possession in the neutral zone before laying off the Clan captain who couldn’t send it past Giants netminder Jackson Whistle.
WATCH: Post game reaction from Clan associate coach Dyson Stevenson
Steven McParland came close to equalising late in the first period as he broke away from the Giants defence and forced Whistle into a quick catcher save.
The Giants doubled their advantage in the second period as Grant Cooper picked up the puck behind the net and laid off debutant Matthew McLeod who fired it into the net.
Belfast struck a third goal on the powerplay shortly after as Gabe Bast fired the puck from the blue line past Muse.
Ben Lake bagged a fourth for the hosts later in the period after Mark Cooper drew Muse off his line before laying off Belfast’s #8, which then saw Muse replaced by Ty Taylor.
Lewis Hook then grabbed two goals for the Giants to give them a six-goal lead late in the second period.
Almost instantly after their sixth goal, Grant Cooper scored his second of the night with a close range tap-in to make it 7-0.
McParland had another chance late in the game when he drove at the net from the left side and fired it on net before Haden attempted a backhanded rebound, but neither could find the net.
Jordan Cownie’s shot was then tipped in front of net by Stevenson and nearly found its way in but it took an unfortunate bounce behind Whistle and just stayed out.
The Giants closed off the game with a Steve Owre breakaway goal late in the third to complete an eight-goal shutout.
